On Monday, Amazon announced it would offer incentives to employees who quit their jobs at the company to start a business delivering Amazon package. The move is the enhancement of a program that began over a year ago to speed up Amazon’s shipping times, but it also comes with added benefits for Amazon, says Rick Geddes, professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University and author of “Saving the Mail: How to Solve the Problems of the U.S. Postal Service.”

Economics and Business

Human Ecology

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Héctor Abruña, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University and an expert on batteries and energy storage technology, comments on the technology behind 'salt batteries.'

Arts and Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

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On Thursday, Pope Francis announced new norms for the Catholic Church’s internal handling of sexual abuse accusations. The law, titled ‘Vos estis lux mundi,’ sets global standards for officials who report and investigate sexual abuse allegations against clergy, and offers protection for whistleblowers. Kim Haines-Eitzen, professor of religious studies at Cornell University, says that the law is a step towards more accountability.

International

Arts and Sciences

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Robert Shepherd, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University, comments on the benefits of soft robots for space exploration.

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Engineering

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In Walmart’s first social responsibility report, released this week, the company outlined its commitment to sustainable growth and reported a few key figures, including employee compensations. Wages for Walmart’s average employee are growing, according to the report. The retail giant is also investing in training and education programs. Hyunseob Kim studies corporate finance and labor economics at Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, where he focuses on the effects of corporate governance and investment on wages and productivity. Kim says that Walmart is responding to an increasingly tight labor market.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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Doug Kriner, professor in Cornell University’s Government Department, says that the conflict over the Mueller report threatens the balance of power between the presidency and Congress.

Law and Policy

Cornell in DC

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Scott McArt, a professor of entomology at Cornell University, comments on a new United Nations report, which says up to 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction due to human activity.

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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Steven Osofsky, professor of wildlife health and health policy at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, comments on an upcoming United Nations report which is expected to say that up to 1 million species face extinction as a result of human activity.

Life Sciences & Veterinary Medicine

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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Linda Donahue, an employee misclassification expert at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, says those who work for gig companies should be considered essential employees. Additionally, Cornell's Worker Institute today released a report on the experiences of people who find work through online platforms in New York state.

Industrial and Labor Relations

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New York state lawmakers are working to introduce a bill updating vehicle and traffic laws to legalize both e-bikes and e-scooters across the state. Cornell experts Karan Girotra and Nicholas Klein say while e-scooters and e-bikes can provide a fast option for commuters and complement existing transit service, a lack of regulation could turn an opportunity into a nightmare.

New York State

Economics and Business

Architecture, Art and Planning

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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